28 October 2007

7 college students killed in N.C. beach house fire

Seven college students died today after the North Carolina beach house they were staying in erupted in flames. Six survivors were hospitalized, including one student who jumped from the burning structure into a nearby canal.

Six of the students who died were from the University of South Carolina and the seventh victim was from Clemson University. The six who survived also were from USC.

Officials said the fire struck sometime before 7 a.m. and burned through the first and second floors, leaving only the frame intact. The waterfront home was built on stilts and firefighters had to climb a ladder onto the house's deck to reach the first floor.

In the accompanying AP photo by Logan Wallace, firefighters are seen lowering a body out of the burned out beach house.

For the latest information on this tragic story, read this report by Estes Thompson.